U.S. patent application number 12/334821 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-17 for duress alarm system for clothing.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bosch Security Systems Inc.. Invention is credited to Steve Markham, James Riley.
Application Number | 20100148975 12/334821 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42239822 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100148975 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Riley; James ; et
al. |
June 17, 2010 |
DURESS ALARM SYSTEM FOR CLOTHING
Abstract
An article of clothing includes a sensor attached to a fabric
body for detecting forces applied to the fabric body. A processor
is attached to the fabric body and is communicatively coupled to
the sensor. The processor receives signals from the sensor,
analyzes the signals, and discerns therefrom whether a physical
attack is occurring on a wearer of the fabric body. The processor
emits a distress signal if it is discerned that an attack is
occurring.
Inventors: |
Riley; James; (Fairport,
NY) ; Markham; Steve; (Rochester, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TAFT STETTINIUS & HOLLISTER LLP
ONE INDIANA SQUARE, SUITE 3500
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
46204
US
|
Assignee: |
Bosch Security Systems Inc.
Broadview
IL
Bobert Bosch GmbH
Stuttgart
|
Family ID: |
42239822 |
Appl. No.: |
12/334821 |
Filed: |
December 15, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/665 ; 2/115;
2/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B 21/0297 20130101;
A41D 1/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/665 ; 2/115;
2/69 |
International
Class: |
G08B 21/00 20060101
G08B021/00; A41B 1/00 20060101 A41B001/00; A41D 1/00 20060101
A41D001/00 |
Claims
1. An article of clothing, comprising: a fabric body; a sensor
attached to the fabric body and configured to detect forces applied
to the fabric body; and a processor attached to the fabric body and
communicatively coupled to the sensor, the processor being
configured to: receive signals from the sensor; analyze the signals
and discern therefrom whether a physical attack is occurring on a
wearer of the fabric body; and emit a distress signal if it is
discerned that the attack is occurring.
2. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the processor
includes a signal conditioning circuit and a microcontroller, the
signal from the sensor being an analog sensor signal, the signal
conditioning circuit being configured to convert the analog sensor
signal to a digital sensor signal.
3. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein a matrix of sensors
is attached to the fabric body, the processor being configured to
discern from the signals from each of the sensors whether a wearer
of the fabric body is being physically attacked.
4. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the processor is
configured to discern from the signals whether the fabric body is
being grabbed or pulled.
5. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises
at least one of a strain gauge, a transducer and a capacitive
sensor.
6. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the distress signal
has a transmission range of less than one mile.
7. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the fabric body
comprises a shirt, the sensor being disposed on a front of the
shirt, the processor being disposed on a lateral side of the shirt
and adjacent to a bottom hem of the shirt.
8. A personal alarm arrangement, comprising: a fabric body; a
sensor attached to the fabric body and configured to detect forces
applied to the fabric body; a processor attached to the fabric body
and communicatively coupled to the sensor, the processor being
configured to: receive signals from the sensor; discern from the
signals whether a wearer of the fabric body is being assaulted; and
emit a radio frequency distress signal if it is discerned that the
wearer is being assaulted; and a radio frequency transceiver
configured to receive the distress signal and respond thereto by
transmitting a radio frequency alarm signal to a monitoring agent,
the alarm signal having a greater power than the distress
signal.
9. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the processor includes a
signal conditioning circuit and a microcontroller, the signal from
the sensor being an analog sensor signal, the signal conditioning
circuit being configured to convert the analog sensor signal to a
digital sensor signal.
10. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein a matrix of sensors is
attached to the fabric body, the processor being configured to
discern from the signals from each of the sensors whether a wearer
of the fabric body is being assaulted.
11. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured
to discern from the signals whether the fabric body is being
grabbed or pulled.
12. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the sensor comprises at
least one of a strain gauge, a transducer and a capacitive
sensor.
13. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the distress signal has a
transmission range of less than one mile.
14. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the fabric body comprises a
shirt, the sensor being disposed on a front of the shirt, the
processor being disposed on a lateral side of the shirt and
adjacent to a bottom hem of the shirt.
15. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the radio frequency
transceiver comprises one of a mobile telephone, police radio and
military radio.
16. A personal alarm method, comprising the steps of: providing an
article of clothing including a fabric body having a sensor and a
processor; using the sensor to detect a force applied to the fabric
body; transmitting signals from the sensor indicative of the force;
receiving the signals at the processor; discerning from the signals
whether a wearer of the fabric body is being assaulted; emitting a
radio frequency distress signal if it is discerned that the wearer
is being assaulted; and receiving the distress signal at a radio
frequency transceiver and responding thereto by transmitting a
radio frequency alarm signal from the transceiver to a monitoring
agent, the alarm signal having a greater power than the distress
signal.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the processor includes a signal
conditioning circuit and a microcontroller, the signal from the
sensor being an analog sensor signal, the method including using
the signal conditioning circuit to convert the analog sensor signal
to a digital sensor signal.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the article of clothing includes
a matrix of sensors, the discerning step including discerning from
the signals from each of the sensors whether a wearer of the fabric
body is being assaulted.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the discerning step includes
discerning from the signals whether the fabric body is being
grabbed or pulled.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein the sensor comprises at least
one of a strain gauge, a transducer and a capacitive sensor.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to personal security systems,
and, more particularly, to wearable personal security systems.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] It is known for personal panic alarm devices to be worn on a
person's body, such as on a necklace or stored in a pants pocket.
In the event that the person is attacked, believes he will be
attacked, or becomes disabled, the person may press a button on the
device in order to cause a radio frequency signal to be sent to a
monitoring station so that assistance may be summoned. However, in
the case of protection against a bodily attack, it is often
difficult for an individual to predict a debilitating attack and
then initiate a call for assistance. Pressing the button of the
device after the attack has begun may be even more difficult.
[0005] As described above, present personal alarm devices depend
upon the ability of the wearer to press the panic button at an
appropriate time, as no current system is adequately configured to
provide complete automatic decision making abilities based on
detected attack forces. Further, current devices are not able to
automatically place duress calls to a third party in the event of
an attack. Another particular problem with prior art devices is
that they are not able to measure pulling or grabbing forces and
are not able to use such measured forces as a criteria for duress
notification.
[0006] What is neither disclosed nor suggested by the art is an
apparatus that integrates force measurement devices within or on a
piece of clothing with the ability to call for help in response to
the force measurements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is directed to the use of force
sensing technology integrated within a particular garment where a
force might be expected in an attack scenario. As a force is
applied, force transducer electronics issues a signal to an
electronic signal conditioning circuit. A microcontroller uses
algorithms for determining the type of force applied at the
garment. If the force is deemed a duress level force, a distress
signal is transmitted via an RF transmitter to a cell phone or
police/military radio. The level of force being applied to the
garment is analyzed to determine whether the force represents a
duress scenario. Pulling or grabbing, as sensed by a strain gauge,
a transducer or a matrix of capacitive sensors, may be criteria for
duress notification.
[0008] The invention employs a technology whereby a plurality of
sensing technologies can be integrated into clothing or cloth.
Activation of these sensors by some predetermined external force
can cause signals to be transmitted to a communications medium or
device that can transmit a duress message as a call for help. This
communication process may be totally unassisted by the individual
wearing such a garment.
[0009] The apparatus of the invention may sense a force created by
gun shot, blunt force from a weapon, hand-to-hand combat or any
other predetermined force resulting from an attack. This device of
the invention may also detect a grabbing force. Once the force has
been measured, a communication regarding the force may be passed
along via wired or wireless means to a more sophisticated
communication device such as a police radio, cell phone, military
radio, or any other means that may enable a call for help to be
transmitted.
[0010] The invention may employ strain gauge technologies that are
embedded into the fabric for sensing force to a garment or article
of clothing. The invention may also include a matrix of capacitive
sensors that change capacitance at the site of the force. More
generally, any technology whose electrical characteristics are a
function of forces exerted on the technology may be employed in the
invention.
[0011] Whatever the technology, an electronic force signal produced
thereby may be representative or indicative of the force exerted on
the technology. Once a force signal having a magnitude above a
particular threshold level is detected, the force signal may be
analyzed for more specific magnitude, frequency and/or duration
characteristics. Based on the analyzed characteristics, the
measured force may be categorized into different threat levels.
Based on the particular threat level of a measured force, a short
range communication to a longer range device such as a cellular
telephone, police radio, military radio, or other long range
communication medium may be initiated.
[0012] The force-sensing technology, such as force transducer
electronics, may be integrated into a particular garment on which a
force might be expected in an attack scenario. As a force is
applied to the garment, the force transducer electronics may issue
a signal to an electronic signal-conditioning circuit including a
microcontroller. The microcontroller may run various algorithms for
determining the type of force applied at the garment. If the force
is deemed a duress-level force, a signal indicating a duress
condition may be transmitted via a low power RF transmitter to a
standard communication device such as a cell phone, police or
military radio. The communications may result in a duress message
being transmitted to a third party who will be able to assist or
call for help.
[0013] The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an article of
clothing including a sensor attached to a fabric body for detecting
forces applied to the fabric body. A processor is attached to the
fabric body and is communicatively coupled to the sensor. The
processor receives signals from the sensor, analyzes the signals,
and discerns therefrom whether a physical attack is occurring on a
wearer of the fabric body. The processor emits a distress signal if
it is discerned that an attack is occurring.
[0014] The invention comprises, in another form thereof, a personal
alarm arrangement including a sensor attached to a fabric body for
detecting forces applied to the fabric body. A processor is
attached to the fabric body and is communicatively coupled to the
sensor. The processor receives signals from the sensors and
discerns from the signals whether a wearer of the fabric body is
being assaulted. If it is discerned that the wearer is being
assaulted, then the processor emits a radio frequency distress
signal. A radio frequency transceiver receives the distress signal
and responds thereto by transmitting a radio frequency alarm signal
to a monitoring agent. The alarm signal has a greater power than
the distress signal.
[0015] The invention comprises, in yet another form thereof, a
personal alarm method including providing an article of clothing
having a fabric body with a sensor and a processor. The sensor is
used to detect a force applied to the fabric body. Signals
indicative of the force are transmitted from the sensor. The
signals are received at the processor and the processor discerns
from the signals whether a wearer of the fabric body is being
assaulted. The processor emits a radio frequency distress signal if
it is discerned that the wearer is being assaulted. The distress
signal is received at a radio frequency transceiver and the
transceiver responds thereto by transmitting a radio frequency
alarm signal to a monitoring agent. The alarm signal has a greater
power than the distress signal.
[0016] An advantage of the present invention is that it is able to
analyze the level of force being applied to a garment and determine
whether the force represents a duress scenario.
[0017] Another advantage is that, if it is determined that a sensed
force represents a duress force, it is possible to automatically
send any of a number of different messages to someone who could
assist.
[0018] Yet another advantage is that it includes measured pulling
or grabbing forces as a criterion for duress notification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The above mentioned and other features and objects of this
invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more
apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by
reference to the following description of an embodiment of the
invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a personal
alarm arrangement of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the personal alarm arrangement
of FIG. 1 in communication with a remote monitoring agent.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a
personal alarm method of the present invention.
[0023] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent
embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not
necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in
order to better illustrate and explain the present invention.
Although the exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments
of the invention, in several forms, the embodiments disclosed below
are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting
the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The embodiments hereinafter disclosed are not intended to be
exhaustive or limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in
the following description. Rather the embodiments are chosen and
described so that others skilled in the art may utilize its
teachings.
[0025] Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1,
there is shown one embodiment of a personal alarm arrangement 10 of
the present invention including an article of clothing 12 in the
form of a shirt and a radio frequency transceiver 14 in the form of
a mobile telephone. Shirt 12 includes a fabric body 16, a sensor
matrix 18 and processing electronics 20. Fabric body 16 includes a
front side 22, a right lateral side 24, a left lateral side 26, and
a bottom hem 28. Body 16 may be formed of any conventional clothing
fabric, such as cotton, polyester, or a synthetic blend, for
example. Although sensor matrix 18, processing electronics 20 and
an electrically conductive cable 30 interconnecting matrix 18 and
electronics 20 are visible in FIG. 1 for illustrative purposes, it
is to be understood that, in one embodiment, matrix 18, electronics
20 and/or cable 30 may be attached to body 16 such that they are
not visible to a casual observer viewing the outer surface of shirt
12.
[0026] Sensor matrix 18 may be interwoven into body 16, stitched or
adhered to an inside surface of body 16, or otherwise attached to
body 16. Sensor matrix 18 may be attached to front side 22 of
fabric body 16.
[0027] Sensor matrix 18 may include a two-dimensional matrix of
individual sensors 32 mounted on a flexible, electrically
insulating pad 34, which is circular in the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1. Pad 34 may be formed of a material that is easily adhered
to fabric body 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, there are seven
rows and six columns of sensors 32. However, the matrix may have
any number of columns and any number of rows. Further, in other
embodiments, the matrix is not organized with sensors aligned in
vertical columns and horizontal rows but rather is organized in a
staggered, possibly repeating pattern in which a given row is not
identical to adjacent rows and/or a given column is not identical
to adjacent columns.
[0028] Each sensor 32 may be in the form of any electrical device
having a detectable characteristic that changes when force is
applied thereto. In specific embodiments, sensors 32 are in the
form of strain gauges, transducers and/or capacitive sensors.
[0029] In embodiments in which sensors 32 are of a type that are
able to sense force in only a limited number of directions, sensors
32 may be oriented in different directions on pad 34. Thus, with
sensors 32 being oriented in a variety of directions, matrix 18 may
be able to sense forces exerted on matrix 18 in a variety of
directions. For instance, matrix 18 may be able to sense an
attacker grabbing matrix 18; pulling on any part of body 16 such
that a stretching force is exerted on matrix 18; striking matrix
18; and/or pressing on matrix 18.
[0030] The electrical connections between sensors 32 and
electronics 20 are illustrated only schematically in FIG. 1 at 30.
Each sensor 32 may be individually directly connected to
electronics 20 via two respective dedicated electrical conductors.
That is, eighty-four electrical conductors may be utilized for the
forty-two sensors 32. However, the electrical connections between
sensors 32 and electronics 20, and/or between sensors 32, that are
provided in a particular embodiment may depend upon the type of
sensors 32 that are employed. For instance, some of sensors 32 may
be connected in series and/or groups of sensors 32 may be connected
in parallel.
[0031] Cable 30 is shown in FIG. 1 as being confined to a single
strand or conduit that has a first leg extending horizontally from
sensor matrix 18 and a second leg extending vertically down to
electronics 20. In another embodiment, however, a plurality of
electrical conductors interconnecting electronics 20 and sensor
matrix 18 are not bundled in a single cable, but rather are evenly
spaced from one another within the fabric material of body 16 such
that the individual conductors are not easily seen. That is, the
conductors individually may not be visible at all to a casual
observer, or may appear to part of the fabric material.
[0032] Processing electronics 20 may be interwoven into body 16,
stitched or adhered to an inside surface of body 16, or otherwise
attached to body 16. Processing electronics 20 may be attached to
either of lateral sides 24, 26 of fabric body 16.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, processing electronics 20 may include a
signal conditioning circuit 36, a microcontroller 38, and a low
power radio frequency transmitter 40. Processing electronics 20 may
also include a replaceable battery (not shown) that may provide
operating power to circuit 36, microcontroller 38 and transmitter
40. The battery may also apply voltage to sensor matrix 18 such
that the electrical characteristics of sensors 32 may be measured
by signal conditioning circuit 36.
[0034] Signal conditioning circuit 36 generally receives the sensor
signals from each of sensors 32 and transforms the sensor signals
into a form that can be used by microcontroller 38. In one
embodiment, signal conditioning circuit 36 converts the analog
sensor signals from sensors 32 into digital form that can be
received and processed by microcontroller 38. In addition, or
alternatively, circuit 36 may serialize the sensor signals that
circuit 36 receives in parallel from various sensors 32. The
serializing of the sensor signals may include time-domain
multiplexing of the digitized signals from sensors 32. The
multiplexed sensor signals may include identifications of the
particular sensor, or of the location of the sensor, from which
each respective portion of the time-domain multiplexed sensor
signal originates. Moreover, signal conditioning circuit 36 may
convert the sensor signals into signals having voltages and
currents that are appropriate for inputting to microcontroller
38.
[0035] Microcontroller 38 may generally receive the sensor signals
from signal conditioning circuit 36 and may decide based thereon
whether or not a wearer of shirt 12 is being physically attacked or
assaulted by another human being. Microcontroller 38 may run an
algorithm to make this decision, and the algorithm may utilize a
formula and/or a lookup table. In one embodiment, microcontroller
38 may decide that an assault is occurring if two or more
consecutive sensor signals indicate a force greater than a
threshold level of force is being exerted on sensor matrix 18. In
another embodiment, wherein adjacent sensors 32 are perhaps no more
than about three to four inches apart, a sensor reading above a
threshold level may be confirmed by at least a second adjacent
sensor reading exceeding the threshold before microcontroller 38
decides that an attack is occurring. Many different variations of
the criteria used to decide whether an attack is occurring are
possible within the scope of the invention. In one embodiment,
sensor force readings from a single sensor or from a group of
adjacent sensors during a preceding time period of less than ten
seconds must average above a threshold level in order for
microcontroller 38 to decide that an attack is occurring.
[0036] In another embodiment, sensors are provided with different
orientations in order to sense pulling forces in a certain
direction or along a certain axis. Thus, confirmation of a sensor
reading above a threshold level may be provided by a sensor with a
similar orientation rather than by an adjacent sensor. In another
embodiment, a number of sensors that have similar orientations and
that are disposed within a certain distance of each other must each
sense a force above a threshold level in order for microcontroller
38 to decide that an attack is occurring.
[0037] In another embodiment, rather than deciding that an assault
is occurring when a measured force exceeds a threshold level of
force, microcontroller 38 determines a steady state level of force
on sensors 32 and decides an assault is occurring when a measured
force exceeds the steady state level of force by a threshold
amount. This embodiment may be particularly desirable when shirt 12
fits tightly on the wearer, such as an undershirt. Because of the
tightness of the undershirt, a significant pulling force may be
placed on sensors 32 during normal wearing. Thus, in order to avoid
falsely deciding that an attack is occurring, microcontroller 38
may require that the measured force exceed the steady state
measured force by at least a predetermined amount. In this
embodiment too, the measured force exceeding the steady state
measured force by at least a predetermined amount may need to be
observed for a certain period of time or in a number of consecutive
readings, or may need to be confirmed by another sensor, before the
microcontroller decides that an assault is occurring.
[0038] Regardless of the criteria or algorithm used to arrive at
the decision, once microcontroller 38 decides that an assault is
occurring, microcontroller 38 may send a signal to transmitter 40,
as indicated at 42. Signal 42 may be in the form of applying power
to transmitter 40, thereby enabling transmitter 40 to operate.
[0039] In response to receiving signal 42 from microcontroller 38,
transmitter 40 may transmit a low power radio frequency distress
signal, as indicated at 44. In one embodiment, the distress signal
has a transmission range of less than one mile. The distress signal
may be received by any capable radio frequency transceiver that is
within the transmission range of the distress signal. The distress
signal may have a frequency that makes the signal receivable by a
variety of potential RF transceivers, such as a police radio, a
military radio, or a cellular mobile telephone 14. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an RF transceiver in the form of a
cellular mobile telephone 14 is disposed in the pants pocket of a
wearer of shirt 12.
[0040] In another embodiment, transmitter 40 transmits the distress
signal continuously with alternating frequencies so that a greater
number of RF transceivers, which may be tuned to receive different
frequencies, may potentially receive the signal. After transmitter
40 has scanned through a range of transmission frequencies for the
distress signal, transmitter 40 may start again at the beginning of
the range of transmission frequencies and may repeatedly cycle
through the range of transmission frequencies until battery power
has been exhausted.
[0041] The distress signal may have a specific format that makes
the signal recognizable by any of these potential RF transceivers
as a distress signal. In one embodiment, the distress signal is
transmitted with a dedicated frequency that is used only by
distress signals. In another embodiment, a user's cell phone is
programmed to recognize the frequency emitted by transmitter 40 as
being a distress signal, even if the frequency is not one that is
dedicated to only distress signals. Because of the likely close
proximity of the user's cell phone to the user during the assault,
the signal strength of the received distress signal may be
relatively high. Thus, the cell phone may use the high signal
strength as a criterion to recognize the signal as a distress
signal, rather than as a non-distress signal from an extraneous
source that happens to be using the same frequency. That is, the
cell phone may require that a received signal have at least a
threshold amplitude at the programmed frequency in order to
recognize the received signal as a distress signal.
[0042] Microcontroller 40 may be programmed to include the owner's
identification information, such as the owner's name, address
and/or cell phone number, in the duress signal. The identification
information may be digitally encoded in the duress signal and/or
the identification information may be provided in a prerecorded or
voice synthesized message in the duress signal that may be audibly
heard at transceiver 14 and/or at monitoring agent 48.
[0043] Once the RF transceiver 14 has recognized the incoming
signal as a distress signal, transceiver 14 may transmit a radio
frequency alarm signal, as indicated at 46, to a monitoring agent
48. The alarm signal transmitted by transceiver 14 may be of a
higher power and may have a greater transmission range than the
distress signal transmitted by transmitter 40. Similarly to the
distress signal, the alarm signal may have a dedicated frequency
that enables monitoring agent 48 to recognize the incoming signal
as an alarm signal.
[0044] In embodiments in which transceiver 14 is in the form of a
cell phone, the alarm signal may be in the form of a standard
cellular telephone call to monitoring agent 48. In one embodiment,
the cellular telephone call is placed to the well known emergency
number 911. The 911 call center may determine the geographic
location of the transmitting cell phone 14 via known technology.
Cell phone 14 may be programmed to transmit a prerecorded or voice
synthesized message that is heard by the 911 human operator who
receives the call. The voice message may state that the owner of
the calling cell phone is being assaulted and that police and/or an
ambulance should be sent to the location of the cell phone, for
example.
[0045] In embodiments in which transceiver 14 is in the form of a
police radio or military radio, the shirt owner's identification
information included in the received distress signal may be audibly
played back on a speaker of the police or military radio. In
addition or alternatively, the owner identification information may
be converted into text and presented on a display screen of the
police or military radio. A human operator of the police or
military radio may then be able to act upon the owner
identification information that he has audibly or visually received
on the radio. For instance, the human operator of the radio may
radio or call the 911 call center, a local police station and/or an
ambulance in order to summon assistance for the wearer of shirt 12.
If the operator of radio transceiver 14 is a policeman or medical
professional himself, he may respond to the distress signal by
calling the shirt wearer's cell phone number to verify his
location, or by reporting to the shirt wearer's place of residence.
It is also possible for the operator of radio transceiver 14 to
call 911 or some other authority ascertain the current location of
the identified cell phone number, regardless of whether the shirt
wearer's cell phone is functioning as a redundant or secondary RF
transceiver 14. Techniques for determining the current location of
a cell phone are well known in the art.
[0046] In embodiments in which transceiver 14 is in the form of a
police radio or military radio, the shirt owner's identification
information included in the received distress signal may also be
automatically transmitted by transceiver 14 to monitoring agent 48.
This identification information may be included in alarm signal 46
that is transmitted to monitoring agent 48.
[0047] Monitoring agent 48 may be in the form of a human agent or
an automated agent. Examples of human agents are operators of 911
call centers and police station and hospital switchboard operators.
However, automated agents may be provided that recognize the
incoming signal as an alarm signal, such as by the frequency of the
signal and/or the signal's content. Such automated agents may
verify that the incoming signal is an alarm signal; extract the
owner identification information from the incoming signal; and
transmit the identification information to a human agent, such as a
911 operator or police or hospital switchboard operator. The
transmission from the automated agent to the human agent may also
include a notice that the identification information is associated
with an alarm signal that requires an immediate response. The
transmission from the automated agent to the human agent may be an
air-borne radio frequency transmission or may be carried by land
lines, such as standard telephone lines.
[0048] During setup, processing electronics 20 may include a
pushbutton (not shown) that when pushed causes transmitter 40 to
transmit a sample duress signal. Cell phone transceiver 14 may be
programmed to scan a limited frequency range to detect the duress
signal and thereby learn the transmission frequency of the duress
signal.
[0049] During use, a wearer of shirt 12 may be physically attacked
by another human. Sensor matrix 18 may not be visible to the
attacker, and the attacker may grab, pull on, twist, and/or strike
a portion of the shirt's fabric body 16 on which matrix 18 is
mounted. Processing electronics 20 may apply a voltage to matrix 18
via cable or cables 30 such that some electrical characteristic
(e.g., resistance or capacitance) of individual sensors 32, or of
the entire matrix or network of sensors 32, may be measured by
signal conditioning circuit 36.
[0050] Signal conditioning circuit 36 may periodically monitor the
electrical characteristics of sensors 32 or of matrix 18 as a
whole. When circuit 36 senses a change in the electrical
characteristics of sensors 32 or of matrix 18 that is consistent
with elevated forces being exerted on sensors 32, then
microcontroller 38 may decide that a physical attack on the wearer
of shirt 12 is occurring. Microcontroller 38 may then cause a low
power distress signal 44 to be transmitted from RF transmitter 40
to RF transceiver 14. In turn, RF transceiver 14 may transmit a
higher power alarm signal 46 to monitoring agent 48. If monitoring
agent 48 is a human entity, then monitoring agent 48 may summon
assistance for the wearer of shirt 12 from police and/or medical
personnel. If, however, monitoring agent 48 is an automated entity,
then monitoring agent 48 may notify human personnel who may then
summon help from the appropriate parties. Regardless of whether
monitoring agent 48 is human or non-human, the location of the
wearer of shirt 12 may be ascertained by known techniques to
determine the location of a transmitting cell phone 14; the
wearer's place of residence; the known location of a police or
military radio receiving the duress signal; and/or the location of
the cell phone having the identified standard ten digit number
including area code, which may be determined by known
techniques.
[0051] Illustrated in FIG. 3 is one embodiment of a personal alarm
method 300 of the present invention. In a first step 302, an
article of clothing including a fabric body having a sensor and a
processor is provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, an article
of clothing in the form of a shirt 12 including a fabric body 16
having sensors 32 and a processing electronics 20 is provided.
[0052] In a next step 304, the sensor is used to detect a force
applied to the fabric body. In FIG. 1, sensors 32 are used to
detect forces applied to fabric body 16, such as pulling forces,
grabbing forces, twisting forces and/or striking forces.
[0053] Next, in step 306, signals from the sensor indicative of the
force are transmitted. That is, processing electronics 20 may apply
a voltage to sensors 32, and sensors 32 may transmit signals to
processing electronics 20 indicative of the level of force applied
to sensors 32. More particularly, electrical characteristics of
sensors 32 may change with force applied thereto, and the changing
electrical characteristics may in turn cause the current flow
through sensors 32 to change. The transmitted signals from sensors
32 may be in the form of this current flow.
[0054] In step 308, the signals are received at the processor. That
is the signals from sensors 32, such as the changing currents
flowing through sensors 32, are received at processing electronics
20.
[0055] In a next step 310, it is discerned from the signals whether
a wearer of the fabric body is being assaulted. For example,
microcontroller 38 may analyze the signals from sensors 32 and
utilize an algorithm and/or lookup tables to discern whether the
forces applied to sensors 32 are indicative of the human wearer of
fabric body 16 being assaulted.
[0056] Next, in step 312, a radio frequency distress signal is
emitted if it is discerned that the wearer is being assaulted. That
is, if microcontroller 38 analyzes the signals from sensors 32 and
decides that the human wearer of shirt 12 is being assaulted, then
low power RF transmitter 40 emits radio frequency distress signal
44.
[0057] In a final step 314, the distress signal is received at a
radio frequency transceiver and the RF transceiver responds thereto
by transmitting a radio frequency alarm signal from the transceiver
to a monitoring agent. The alarm signal has a greater power than
the distress signal. For instance, distress signal 44 may be
received at RF transceiver 14, and transceiver 14 may respond
thereto by transmitting an RF alarm signal 46 from transceiver 14
to monitoring agent 48. Alarm signal 46 may have a greater power
the distress signal 44. In various embodiments, distress signal 44
has a transmission range of less than one mile, and in other
embodiments, distress signal 44 has a transmission range of less
than one-half mile, less than one-quarter mile, and less than
one-eighth mile, respectively. Alarm signal 46, in contrast, may
have a transmission range of at least five miles such that alarm
signal 46 has a high probability of being received by a police
radio or a military radio. In the case of transceiver 14 being in
the form of a cell phone, the cell phone may have a transmission
range of approximately between five and eight miles such that the
transmission may reach the nearest cell site.
[0058] Article of clothing 10 has been illustrated herein as being
in the form of a shirt. However, it is to be understood that
article of clothing 10 could alternatively be in the form of any
type of clothing, such as pants, a jacket, a coat, underwear, or a
dress, for example. Further, the present invention may be applied
to personal items other than clothing. For instance, in another
embodiment, a series-connected string of force sensors is included
in the strap of a purse such that if a purse snatcher were to pull
the purse out of the owner's grip on the strap, the unusually high
measured force causes a duress signal to be transmitted by the low
power RF transmitter, and the RF transceiver responds by
transmitting an alarm signal to the monitoring agent.
[0059] In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 1, sensors 32 are
shown as being disposed on only circular pad 34. However, in other
embodiments, sensors 32 are dispersed throughout the article of
clothing. Moreover, sensors 32 may not be mounted on a pad or other
backing, but rather may be supported by the fabric material of the
article of clothing itself.
[0060] As described above, a battery may be provided in processing
electronics 20. However, in another embodiment, a battery may be
included with sensor matrix 18 or may be provided on a portion of
fabric body 16 away from either of processing electronics 20 or
sensor matrix 18. In a particular embodiment, one or both of
processing electronics 20 and the battery are disposed within hem
28 of fabric body 16, such as below a seam line 50 (FIG. 1). Such
placement of processing electronics 20 and the battery may serve to
better conceal processing electronics 20 and the battery,
especially if hem 28 is tucked into the wearer's pants. Providing
processing electronics 20 and the battery in bottom hem 28 may also
serve to weigh down the bottom of fabric body 16, which may help to
straighten out fabric body 16 and give it a tidy, unwrinkled
appearance. Moreover, positioning processing electronics 20 as low
as possible on fabric body 16 has the additional advantage of
reducing the distance between low power RF transmitter 40 of
electronics 20 and an RF transceiver in the form of a cell phone 14
in a wearer's pants pocket. Such reduction in the distance between
RF transmitter 40 and RF transceiver 14 may reduce the transmission
power requirements of RF transmitter 40, thereby extending the
useful life of the battery and/or reducing the size of the battery
that is required.
[0061] The present invention has been described herein as being
used to sense a physical attack by another human being. However, in
other embodiments, the present invention may be used to sense a
physical attack by an animal, or may be used to sense that the
wearer has been involved in an accident. Thus, the invention may be
equally useful to hunters, animal care takers, construction
workers, vehicle drivers, hikers, or anyone who partakes in a
physically dangerous or solitary activity.
[0062] While this invention has been described as having an
exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified
within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is
therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of
the invention using its general principles. Further, this
application is intended to cover such departures from the present
disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to
which this invention pertains.
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